Injury Report: Wild Card Weekend
Injury Report: Wild Card Weekend The regular season is over, so the reported injuries have cooled significantly. However, with so much on the line playing Playoff Fantasy Football, monitoring injuries is as important as ever. Our Injury Report: Wild Card Weekend will keep you updated on the latest from around the NFL. Also, don’t forget to check out weekly rankings before you finalize this week’s lineups. Also, bookmarking our NFL Injury Report is a great way to stay updated on the latest injuries. Finally, FullTime Fantasy Members will get the latest NFL injury news and advice live each Sunday and Thursday in the FullTime Fantasy Discord. Click below to join us today! Jalen Hurts (QB) Philadelphia Eagles – Hurts was limited on Wednesday but is expected to fully clear the NFL’s concussion protocol on Thursday. That would put him in line to start. We will update Discord when news breaks. Jordan Love (QB) Green Bay Packers – Love exited Week 18 with an elbow injury and has been limited in practice. That sounds concerning but there isn’t much concern that Love will miss this game or be limited. We’ll keep an eye on it. Zay Flowers (WR) Baltimore Ravens – Dealing with a knee injury, Flowers has not practiced and is considered unlikely to play by NFL insider Ian Rapoport. However, Todd Monken said the team is “hopeful” that Flowers can suit up. However, with the Ravens being 10-point home favorites, we don’t think Flowers plays. UPDATE: Flowers has been ruled OUT. Ravens OC Todd Monken said he’s “hopeful” that injured WR Zay Flowers (knee) can still play Saturday but believes the team has the players who can step up if he cannot play pic.twitter.com/wRsIQ4Oz7P — Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) January 8, 2025 A.J. Brown (WR) Philadelphia Eagles – Brown was limited Wednesday with a knee/rest designation. However, he’s expected to be a full-go for Sunday. J.K. Dobbins (RB) Los Angeles Chargers – An ankle injury kept Dobbins limited on Wednesday. However, he has not had a setback and is expected to be fine against the Texans. Jalen McMillian (WR) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Full participant. Cade Otton (TE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Otton missed the final two regular-season games with a knee injury but has been a limited practice participant all week. That puts him in a position to return to the lineup. Dallas Goedert (TE) Philadelphia Eagles – Goedert was a full participant and should be good to go. Quentin Johnston (WR) Los Angeles Chargers – Missed practice Wednesday due to illness. Justice Hill (RB) Baltimore Ravens – Cleared concussion protocol and practiced in full at Wednesday’s practice. Josh Palmer (WR) Los Angeles Chargers – Palmer missed LA’s regular-season finale with a heel injury and has yet to practice this week. Therefore, it’s unlikely that Palmer will have much if any, role against the Texans. UPDATE: Palmer is OUT. Sterling Shepard (WR) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The veteran is dealing with foot and knee injuries and was limited. However, there is no concern that he will miss Sunday’s tilt. Malik Willis (QB) Green Bay Packers – Limited in practice with a thumb injury, but Willis should be fine to sit behind Jordan Love in Philadelphia. FullTime Fantasy’s Playoff Fantasy Football Contests Play 1 or play all 3! YOU decide! Emil Kadlec Memorial Playoff Pick ‘Em — A FREE Single-Entry Contest. Maui Madness Playoff Pick’Em — ($25 or a 5-pack for $100) Playoff Draft World Championship $229 with NEW and improved league prizing! Maui Madness is still accepting entries until Conference Championship Weekend. The contest determines the winner by using your highest two weekly scores. While most fantasy football leagues have already concluded, that does not mean the fun is over. In fact, the best is yet to come for one skilled fantasy player! That person who can build the best fantasy lineup for the playoffs will win the grand prize of: A Trip for Four to Maui! The Grand Prize includes: • Resort Accommodations for 6 nights in Maui’s Five-Star Kaanapali Alii Resort (2BR-2BA) • Airfare for Four anywhere in the continental U.S. (up to $1000 for each person roundtrip airfare* • Grand Prize package worth an estimated $10,000! *certain date restrictions may apply 1 ENTRY = $25 5-PACK = $100 (that’s a $25 savings!) Find full scoring here.
Monday Playoff Preview
What was originally scheduled to be one game is now a pair, due to inclement weather in Buffalo. Saturday’s slate brought a 2-0 start and Sunday featured a pair of intriguing NFC contests. After nailing both, I’m 4-0 to open Wild Card Weekend. FullTime Fantasy’s Monday Playoff preview breaks down the Pittsburgh at Buffalo and Philadelphia at Tampa Bay games. Using our RDA* projections, we can break down each game to find the statistical edge that can give us a leg up in playoff fantasy and daily fantasy lineups. Also, we can determine the best bets to make. Before you place those winning bets, our partner Edge Boost can help you double your entries and payouts! Click below to increase your winnings today. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) at Buffalo Bills (11-6) Time: 4:30 Eastern Line: Buffalo -9.5 Total: 37.5 Money Line: Steelers +400, Bills -525 Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh dipped to 29th in offense, yet Mike Tomlin did another phenomenal job rallying his club above putrid quarterback play. Tomlin is sticking with the ‘hot hand’ in QB Mason Rudolph. However, expect the Steelers to feature both of their running backs heavily, Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, against a suspect Buffalo run defense. Also, the Steelers won’t have their best defensive player in T.J. Watt. The Steelers have only garnered a single victory in the 11 games Watt has missed since debuting in 2017. The under has hit in 10 of Pittsburgh’s last 15 games and 7-of-8 when facing the Bills. Buffalo Bills The Bills are surging into the playoffs on a five-game winning streak. A change of offensive coordinators resulted in more emphasis on James Cook and the rushing attack. Of course, QB Josh Allen leads the club in rushing scores and is one of the top running QB threats in football. The Steelers ranked just 19th against the run this season. WR Stefon Diggs has not thrived since the scheme change. But Diggs remains a strong play against a modest secondary. This game was originally scheduled for Sunday and moved due to weather. The cold and snow could still factor in. Additionally, the under has hit in six of the last seven games played at Highmark Stadium. UNDER 39.5 LOSS Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) Time: 8:15 PM Eastern Line: Philadelphia -3 Total: 43.5 Money Line: Eagles -150, Buccaneers +130 Philadelphia Eagles The once-dominant Eagles are reeling. Philadephia enters the playoffs having lost five of their last six. That’s a terrible dynamic. In the Super Bowl era, the previous five teams that dropped 5-of-6 before entering the postseason are 0-5 in their playoff game. Additionally, the Eagles are beat up. QB Jalen Hurts has been contending with numerous ailments for a while and No. 1 WR A.J. Brown (knee) has been ruled out. Expect more targets to go to TE Dallas Goedert and WR DeVonta Smith, who is poised to have a big game. Also, it makes sense to project RB D’Andre Swift to have an expanded role. However, Tampa Bay ranked 5th against the run and Swift has only topped double-digit fantasy points once in his last six games. Philly’s chances rest with Hurts, as both a passer and runner. These two squads faced off in this stadium back in Week 3 and Hurts produced 305 yards of offense and two scores. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Meanwhile, Tampa is also dealing with injuries. QB Baker Mayfield was limited all week with ankle and rib injuries and is listed as questionable. Mayfield is tough and will play. But the matchup is a tough one. Particularly for a limited signal caller. In Week 3, the Eagles held Mayfield to 146 passing yards and one score at Raymond James. Despite the 25-11 loss to Philadelphia in September, this is a good matchup for Tampa’s skill-position group. The Eagles ranked 31st against the pass. Mike Evans scored seven touchdowns at home this season, including the team’s only TD in the previous matchup. Chris Godwin produced double-digit fantasy points in his final five outings of the regular season. Our RDA* projections love Godwin tonight. Also, RB Rachaad White can factor in as a dangerous receiving option if the Eagles’ No. 10 run defense factors in. With the Eagles struggling and Tampa winning five of their last six to win the NFC South, I like the Buccaneers to cover and might even consider the money line. Bucs +3 WIN Sign Up Before the NFL Playoffs & Double Your Bet Instantly With Edge Boost Offer is up for a limited time only! Special Offer For The FullTime Community: Users who sign up within the next 72 hours will start at $500 in advance limit from EDGE Boost (as opposed to $50). Claim this offer using EdgeBoost now if you sign up before the Texans–Browns game kicks off on Saturday! Click on this link Click “Sign Up Today” & Double Your Bet Instantly! What is EDGE Boost? EDGE Boost is the first Bet Now Pay Later (powered by VISA) provider that enables you to take out a responsible, no-interest advance that you can use to bet on games of your choice at any sportsbook, DFS site, or the FFWC! You are then given four weekly installment payments to repay your advance, and if your wager hits, you double your winnings with no fees. Think of it like Affirm, AfterPay, and other Buy Now Pay Later providers. They want you to win because EDGE makes their money from the VISA fees paid by the sportsbooks. Imagine this: you’re working hard and the paycheck hits just in time for a mini victory dance. But wait, the big leagues – like that playoff FFWC contest or that winning wager on DraftKings – they’re calling your name, and your wallet’s just not in sync. Enter EDGE Boost, your ultimate sidekick! They’ve got your back, matching your deposits akin to those incredible sign-up bonuses from sportsbooks. The best part? It’s a recurring thrill! Keep using it, over and over – it’s like having a superhero’s power at your fingertips. Didn’t hit the jackpot this time? No sweat! You’ve got a
Sunday Playoff Preview
After a two-game slate on Saturday, Sunday offers two more playoff games. Our Sunday Playoff Preview breaks down the fantasy, DFS, and sports betting angles for the Packers at the Cowboys and the intriguing night game between the Rams and upstart Lions. Using our RDA* projections, we can break down each game to find the statistical edge that can give us a leg up in playoff fantasy and daily fantasy lineups. Also, we can determine the best bets to make. Before you place those winning bets, our partner Edge Boost can help you double your entries and payouts! Click below to increase your winnings today. Green Bay Packers (9-8) at Dallas Cowboys (12-5) Time: 4:30 PM Eastern Line: Dallas -7 Total: 50.5 Money Line: Packers +270, Cowboys -340 Green Bay Packers Plenty of scoring is expected indoors between a Packers offense that ranked 12th in scoring and a Dallas unit that led the league. The biggest factor in the Packers’ scoring resurgence was QB Jordan Love. Fantasy football’s No. 5 signal-caller, Love tossed multiple scores in eight of his final nine games. However, things won’t be easy against a Dallas defense that ranked 5th overall and against the pass. With A.J. Dillon doubtful, Aaron Jones is a strong contender to approach 20 touches. Additionally, Christian Watson (hamstring)looks iffy. Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs remain solid options, as do the Packers’ rookie tight end duo. The Packers have covered nine of their last 10 games against the Cowboys and straight up won 4-of-5 in Dallas. Dallas Cowboys Dallas took control of the NFC East by winning 7-of-9 just as the Eagles were tanking. Much of the success can be attributed to an offense that has steamrolled opponents at home. The Cowboys led the NFL in scoring and were undefeated at AT&T. CeeDee Lamb was fantasy football’s top wideout in 2023 and sits atop our RDA* projection against a Green Bay secondary that ceded 13 scores to opposing wideouts. Green Bay allowed more sores to running backs. Therefore, Tony Pollard comes in as our No. 2 runner for the week. A Dallas stack led by QB Dak Prescott will be a popular DFS entry. The Cowboys are 6-2 ATS at home and the OVER is 10-3 since Week 6. However, Dallas has struggled against the Packers, dropping nine of their last 10 overall. Packers +7 WIN Los Angeles Rams (10-7) at Detroit Lions (12-5) Time: 8:00 PM Eastern Line: Lions -3 Total: 51.5 Money Line Rams +140, Lions -165 Los Angeles Rams Like the second game, Sunday’s finale should feature plenty of scoring. The total of 51.5 points for this game is the highest of the Wild Card slate. For the Rams, QB Matthew Stafford thrived down the stretch as his offense got healthy. Sophomore RB Kyren Williams was a league winner. However, the Lions ranked 2nd in the league against the run. Conversely, Detroit struggled against the pass, ranking 27th. That puts both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua in play as top-8 wideouts per our RDA* projections. Also, the Rams tend to show up as visitors. LA went 5-3-1 against the spread on the road and the OVER hit in six of nine. Detroit Lions Meanwhile, the Lions are more than capable of running teams out of the building. Detroit ranked 5th in the league in scoring and was an NFL-best 12-5 against the spread this season. QB Jared Goff plays his best ball at home, leading to the Lions covering 10 of their last 13 at Ford Field. Los Angeles allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs. The Lions will heavily feature both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. However, the tough matchup favors Gibbs, who has a more prominent role in the passing attack. Speaking of the aerial game, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown should cook against a Rams’ secondary that surrendered the 9th-most fantasy points to wideouts. Our RDA* projections also favor Jameson Williams to be a sneaky start. There is a lot of history of OVERs in this series and with both teams in 2023. However, I think the Rams can hang around and that half-point is big. RAMS +3.5 WIN Sign Up Before the NFL Playoffs & Double Your Bet Instantly With Edge Boost Offer is up for a limited time only! Special Offer For The FullTime Community: Users who sign up within the next 72 hours will start at $500 in advance limit from EDGE Boost (as opposed to $50). Claim this offer using EdgeBoost now if you sign up before the Texans–Browns game kicks off on Saturday! Click on this link Click “Sign Up Today” & Double Your Bet Instantly! What is EDGE Boost? EDGE Boost is the first Bet Now Pay Later (powered by VISA) provider that enables you to take out a responsible, no-interest advance that you can use to bet on games of your choice at any sportsbook, DFS site, or the FFWC! You are then given four weekly installment payments to repay your advance, and if your wager hits, you double your winnings with no fees. Think of it like Affirm, AfterPay, and other Buy Now Pay Later providers. They want you to win because EDGE makes their money from the VISA fees paid by the sportsbooks. Imagine this: you’re working hard and the paycheck hits just in time for a mini victory dance. But wait, the big leagues – like that playoff FFWC contest or that winning wager on DraftKings – they’re calling your name, and your wallet’s just not in sync. Enter EDGE Boost, your ultimate sidekick! They’ve got your back, matching your deposits akin to those incredible sign-up bonuses from sportsbooks. The best part? It’s a recurring thrill! Keep using it, over and over – it’s like having a superhero’s power at your fingertips. Didn’t hit the jackpot this time? No sweat! You’ve got a generous month to pay them back, no interest, no worries. But hey, when luck’s on your side and that bet strikes gold, imagine this: you’ve got the means to reinvest and double down with PlayFFWC! It’s like being on a perpetual winning streak. And
Saturday Playoff Preview
The opening round of the 2023 NFL playoffs are all set. The FullTime Fantasy Saturday Playoff Preview looks at both the Browns vs. Texans and Dolphins vs. Chiefs games from a fantasy and sports betting perspective. Using our RDA* projections, we can break down each game to find the statistical edge that can give us a leg up in playoff fantasy and daily fantasy lineups. Also, we can determine the best bets to make. Before you place those winning bets, our partner Edge Boost can help you double your entries and payouts! Click below to increase your winnings today. Cleveland Browns (11-6) at Houston Texans (10-7) Time: 4:30 Eastern Line: Cleveland -2.5 Total: 44.5 Money Line: Browns -145, Texans +125 Cleveland Offense Back in Week, the Browns went into NRG Stadium and throttled the Texans 36-22. The game wasn’t even that close as Houston piled on 15 garbage-time points. In that game, Joe Flacco completed 27-of-42 for 368 yards and three scores. Flacco’s 22.8 fantasy points in that game were the second-most allowed by a much-improved Houston defense all season. In the rematch, Houston’s pass rush will be healthier. Additionally, the Texans will have more success moving the ball than they did with Davis Mills under center. Also, Flacco’s penchant for turnovers could make the difference in a close game. View Flacco as a solid start this week. However, the floor makes him a riskier play than the other three signal-callers suiting up Saturday. Houston’s run defense also made big strides in 2023. Jerome Ford was held to 25 yards on 15 totes in Week 16. Ford salvaged his day with a touchdown but was otherwise ineffective. Our RDA* projections call for Ford to get 16 touches, generate about 65 yards of offense, and is about a 50/50 bet to find the end zone. Kareem Hunt (groin) returned to practice Wednesday. Hunt won’t see as many touches as Ford in this game. However, Hunt is the preferred option in short-yardage. This week, he’ll be a TD-or-Bust option. That gives him some DFS appeal. Amari Cooper set a franchise record with 265 yards three weeks ago versus the Texans. However, Houston played without Will Anderson and Jonathan Greenard in that game, which led to no pass rush. Cooper won’t have a repeat of his gaudy Week 16 figures, but he still comes in as a top-5 fantasy wideout per our RDA* projections. Elijah Moore didn’t do much in the previous game and is still questionable with a concussion. Cedric Tillman has also been ruled out, leaving David Bell as an interesting flier. The Texans allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends in 2023. David Njoku caught six passes including a TD in the previous matchup. He’s our No. 2 tight end for the slate. Houston Offense It’s best to ignore the previous game from the Texans’ perspective. At least on offense. Houston didn’t accomplish much with Davis Mills and Case Keenum under center. However, with the return of C.J. Stroud, the Texans’ offense should be far more effective. After missing two games with a head injury, Stroud returned in the season finale to post solid, but unspectacular numbers. Stroud has been one of the best QBs in football at home. However, facing the NFL’s No. 1 defense will be problematic. If Stroud can continue his stellar play at NRG, the Texans have a good shot. Devin Singletary has taken over as the club’s feature back. Cleveland is far better against the pass than run, so expect Houston to make Singletary a big part of the game plan. Our RDA* projections have Singletary approaching 80 scrimmage yards. However, he is less likely to find to hit pay dirt. Cleveland ranked 4th in the league in limiting fantasy points to opposing wideouts. Nico Collins is Houston’s undisputed top wide receiver. But the Browns limited Collins to 18 yards on four receptions. Collins did score in that game to somewhat salvage his day. But our RDA* projections predict another modest outing. Robert Woods will return in this game and is likely to be Houston’s No. 3 with Noah Brown returning to practice Thursday. This is a tough matchup for Houston, even if the Texans have played much better at home. That makes all of their ancillary pass-catchers little more than DFS dart throws. Brown has more boom potential. Tight end Dalton Schultz should fill the void as Houston’s top target. Back in Week 16, Schultz reeled in a team-high eight grabs for 61 yards. However, the matchup is worse for tight ends. Cleveland allowed only 9.7 fantasy points per game to the position- second-lowest in the NFL. As much as Cleveland feels like the better team, eventually, the magic will run out, right? I’m on the home dogs. Houston +2.5 WIN Miami Dolphins (11-6) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) Time: 8:00 PM Eastern Line: Kansas City -4.5 Total: 51.5 Money Line: Dolphins +190, Chiefs -225 Miami Offense For most of the season, this would have looked like a premier matchup with unlimited offensive potential. However, the Chiefs and Dolphins stumbled to the finish line to damper the fantasy appeal. The opening line of 51.5 seems high for two teams that have not played well. Also, weather will be a factor. The forecast calls for a high of 7 degrees with game-time temps hovering around 0. Brrrr. That will pose problems for Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins. In his last five road games, Tagovailoa averaged just 233.8 passing yards per game with seven touchdown passes. Meanwhile, facing Kansas City boasts a top-10 defense that surrendered the third-fewest touchdown passes in 2023. Kansas City was also stout against the run. However, the Dolphins boasted the NFL’s No. 6 rushing attack. Raheem Mostert will return after sitting out the last two regular-season games. Mostert led the NFL in rushing scores, including seven rushing TDs in seven road contests. De’Von Achane will also be heavily involved. Achane boasts enormous upside but has slowed down after eclipsing 100 rushing yards in three of
NFL Wild Card Weekend: DFS Value Plays
Get these exclusive DFS value plays for Wild Card Weekend from Senior Fantasy Football Expert Adam Ronis!